Theatre's foundation council reflects on 2013

COLDWATER — Tibbits Opera Foundation & Arts Council Inc. held its annual meeting at the end of January to review the past year, recognize its board and staff and elect new members to the board.

At the meeting board President Brian Hodson summed things up saying, "It was a good year."

"The highlight was clearly the completion of the restoration of the front of the building and the recognition associated with it," Hodson noted.

Tibbits received the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation and the Branch Area Chamber of Commerce Community Project award. Hodson again thanked all of the volunteers who worked on the campaign, especially the restoration committee — Georgann Reppert, Connie Winbigler, Erl Gleason, Randall Hazelbaker and chairs Ken Delaney and Mary Smith.

"And the City, all of the volunteers and the community members who made it happen," Hidson added.

Financially, the theatre made budget and showed an increase in attendance. For its fiscal year Oct. 1, 2012 through Sept. 30, 2013 annual attendance at the opera house was nearly 29,000 and the number of children served rose by more than 1,300 to 10,100.

Summer Theatre attendance for the main shows increased about 3.5 percent even though the Popcorn Theatre attendance was down.

Tibbits executive director Christine Delaney acknowledged the staff and their hard work and dedication while also thanking the board for its continued support. She also took a moment to reflect on how far the theatre has come.

"We are no longer struggling on a daily basis to pay the bills and keep the doors opened," she said. "While we are in a far more stable position we will always need to fund raise; we will always be dependent on our members and donors, we will always be striving to do more. We need to keep setting the bar higher for our programming, for restoring and maintaining this great theatre and for providing arts and education for our community."

During the meeting Hodson introduced the current board members. He then recognized and presented an engraved plaque to retiring board member Barbara Mullally for her nine years of service on the board.

Representing the Tibbits nominating committee, board member Laura Lutterbeck presented the nominations for new members. Mike Beckwith, Brian Hodson and Tina Kerr each renewed for three-year terms. Dylan Foster and Baron Whateley were each also elected to fill three-year terms. Caroline Lowe Christy and Molly VanStone were elected to each fill two-year terms.

Immediately following the annual meeting, the Tibbits board of directors met for its operational meeting and elected its officers for 2013: President, Brian Hodson; vice president, JR Colbeck; treasurer, Ray Sebastian; secretary, Jim Maynard and members at large, Polly Locke and Rick Merrill.

Also serving on the Tibbits board in addition to the members elected and the officers are Doug Bloom, Randall Hazelbaker and Charlene Rucker. Rucker represents Branch County Community Theatre.

Page 2 of 2 - For more information on Tibbits, its programs or to view the annual report go to

www.Tibbits.org. Copies of the annual report and the audited financial statements are also available at Tibbits administrative office at 93 West Chicago St., Coldwater.